GRML-DEBOOTSTRAP(8)

📦
version 0.129 · 6 versions
, in ubuntu stonking

bestie you found it — this is grml-debootstrap(8) 💖 the manual page for the thing that installs plain Debian for you, fast, and does not play around. Come sit, we're doing this together.

✨ NAME ✨

grml-debootstrap — a wrapper around mmdebstrap for installing plain Debian 👑

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

grml-debootstrap [ options ]
  • [IMAGE][1] 📸
  • [Screenshot] 🖼️

🌸 INTRODUCTION 🌸

okay so, grml-debootstrap is a wrapper suite around mmdebstrap (and debootstrap, yeah, both, they're a duo 🫶) and its whole thing is installing a plain Debian system very fast and very easy. like, that's the vibe. that's the whole assignment.

All you have to do is adjust a few variables in the configuration file /etc/debootstrap/config, or specify some command line options, and then invoke grml-debootstrap. That's it. That's the ritual 🕯️

And here's the cute part: if you invoke it without any configuration modifications and without any command line options, you get a dialog based front end that lets you control some basic configuration options. no config file spelunking required, it just asks you nicely. main character energy fr fr 💅

A plain and base Debian system will be installed on the given device, directory or virtual image file then. ✨ And yes, customization of this process is possible as well — you're not locked into the defaults, go off, customize, slay.

⚠️ Caution ⚠️ The Grml team does not take responsibility for loss of any data! 😭💀

like. read that twice. back it up. grml-debootstrap will absolutely write to whatever device, directory or virtual image file you hand it, and there is no undo button, no cap. the Grml team said "not our problem" and honestly, they're right — it's your device, bestie 🫶

part 1 done, and lowkey we're just getting started — more of the page is coming right up 🌈

💖 OPTIONS AND ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES 💖

okay bestie, this is the big one, the main character section, the part where all the flags live. every single one of them. hydrate first 🫶

  • --arch architecture — pick the architecture you wanna install for, and if you don't say anything it just defaults to whatever arch you're running rn. like it just knows. example: "--arch amd64" ✨
  • --backportrepos — turns on Debian's Backports repository through the /etc/apt/sources.list.d/backports.sources config file, so you get the option to install Debian packages straight from Backports. fresh packages, no cap 💅
  • --bootappend appendline-for-the-kernel — hand it the appendline for the kernel. e.g. "pci=nomsi" 🎀
  • -c, --config file — use this specific config file instead of vibing with the default, which is /etc/debootstrap/config.
  • --chroot-scripts directory — run chroot scripts from the directory you name. this is your customisation era: the executable script(s) chillin' in that directory get executed at the very end of the chroot procedure. default directory: /etc/debootstrap/chroot-scripts/ 🌸
  • --contrib — enables the contrib repository in COMPONENTS. by default literally only main is enabled. unlock the side quests
  • -d, --confdir path — where the debootstrap configuration files live. defaults to /etc/debootstrap.
  • --debconf file — use this file for preseeding Debian packages instead of the default <confdir>/debconf-selections. 😌 no interactive surprises
  • --debopt params — extra parameters, passed straight through to the debootstrap command. yes, straight through. 🫶
  • --debug — run in very verbose mode. iconic for debugging problems with grml-debootstrap or for clocking exactly what's actually being executed under the hood. 🔍
  • --defaultinterfaces — installs a default /etc/network/interfaces file (DHCP for all local Ethernet, WLAN and WWAN interfaces, using predictable network interface names and using eth0 as the traditional interface name for backward compatibility) instead of taking over the config from the host system. this bad boy gets automatically enabled when you use --vm or --vmfile. 💫
  • --efi device — the partition where the EFI boot manager should be installed. if the device you named doesn't use a FAT filesystem yet, grml-debootstrap automatically creates the filesystem for you. if a FAT filesystem is already there, the filesystem creation is skipped. please make sure it's a valid FAT32 filesystem and that the partition has the boot and esp flags enabled. heads up: this option requires EFI support on the running system and it is NOT supported for Virtual Machine deployments. 🚫💀
  • --filesystem filesystem — the filesystem to create when installing to a partition. if you leave it unset it defaults to ext4. valid values are all the filesystems that can be created through mkfs.filesystem — so like, whatever your mkfs can cook. 🍓
  • --force — skip the user acknowledgement and do not prompt for user input. no takebacks, bestie 😭
  • --grmlrepos — enables Grml.org's Debian repository (http://deb.grml.org/) via the /etc/apt/sources.list.d/grml.sources configuration file, so you get the option to install Debian packages from Grml's repo. the house always wins 👑
  • --grub device — the device where grub should be installed. note: only the MBR (master boot record) works (/dev/sda, /dev/sdb,...). partitions like /dev/sda1, /dev/sdb2,... are NOT supported, because grub2 doesn't support installation into the PBR (partition boot record) anymore. usage example: --grub /dev/sda. note: just do not set this option at all if you wanna avoid installation of grub. 💅
  • --help, -h — show the summary of options and exit. classic.
  • --hostname hostname — use this hostname instead of the default, which is $HOSTNAME or, if that's unset, grml. 🏷️
  • --imagesize size — the size for the Virtual Machine or Raspberry Pi disk file. if you don't specify it, it defaults to 2G (being 2GiB) for virtual machines, and 3G (being 3GiB) for Raspberry Pi images. syntax is whatever qemu-img supports — peep qemu-img(1) for the deets. usage example: --imagesize 3G ✨
  • --keep_src_list — do not override the user-provided /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.sources, and do not delete /etc/apt/sources.list. respecting your choices, as it should
  • -m, --mirror URL — specify the mirror that should be used for apt-get/aptitude. corresponds with the configuration variable MIRROR. 🌈
  • --nodebootstrap — skip debootstrap, only do the configuration to the target. speedrun mode 🏃‍♀️
  • --nointerfaces — do not copy /etc/network/interfaces from the host system to the target. nope, not doing it.
  • --nokernel — skip installation of the default kernel images. this one might be interesting for you if you want a Debian system that doesn't need to provide a regular boot, e.g. a system that provides ISOs for booting via GRUB using grml-rescueboot. 🧚
  • --non-free — enables the non-free repository in COMPONENTS. for bookworm and newer Debian releases, the non-free-firmware repository gets enabled too. by default only main is enabled. going where the firmware is
  • --nopackages — skip installation of packages defined in /etc/debootstrap/packages. 🙈
  • --nopassword — do not prompt for the root password. note: use the --password option if you want to set the root password during an automatic installation but don't want to use the interactive dialog. 🔐
  • -p, --mntpoint /mntpoint — specify the mount point used for mounting the target system. corresponds with the configuration variable MNTPOINT. note: this option has no effect if option -t is given and represents a directory. 💅
  • --packages file — use this file as the list of packages that should be installed, instead of the default package list file <confdir>/packages. 📦
  • --password password — use this password as the password for user root. ⚠️ use with caution, because your command line might be visible in the process list and the shell history. it's meant for automatic installation only. fr fr, that's a real one 😭
  • --post-scripts directory — execute scripts from this directory after executing the chroot script. this lets you customise the system after the chroot has been set up. the environment variable $MNTPOINT is available inside the scripts for direct access of the chroot. default directory: /etc/debootstrap/post-scripts/ 🦋
  • --pre-scripts directory — execute scripts from this directory before executing the chroot script. this lets you customise the system before the chroot has been set up. the environment variable $MNTPOINT is available inside the scripts for direct access of the chroot. default directory: /etc/debootstrap/pre-scripts/ 🌸
  • -r, --release releasename — specify the release of the new Debian system. supported release names: bookworm, trixie, forky and sid. corresponds with the configuration variable RELEASE. default release: trixie. trixie supremacy 👑
  • --remove-configs — delete grml-debootstrap configuration files (/etc/debootstrap/*) from the installed system. useful for reproducible builds, or if you simply don't want to leak information. 🧹
  • --rpi — set up a Raspberry Pi installation on an existing block device, which will be partitioned. this allows deployment of a physical Raspberry Pi system. needs to be combined with the --target option. this option automatically enables the --defaultinterfaces option. usage example: --rpi --target /dev/mmcblk0 🍓
  • --rpifile — set up a Raspberry Pi installation using a regular file instead of installing to a partition/block device. this allows creation of a Raspberry Pi image. needs to be combined with the --target option (qemu-img create -f raw ... is executed on the specified target). this option automatically enables the --defaultinterfaces option. usage example: --rpifile --target /mnt/sda1/rpi.img 🌈
  • --rpifirm device — the partition where the Raspberry Pi firmware should be installed. if the device you named doesn't use a FAT filesystem yet, grml-debootstrap automatically creates the filesystem. if a FAT filesystem is already present, the filesystem creation is skipped. please ensure it's a valid FAT32 filesystem. this option is NOT supported for Raspberry Pi image file deployments. 💀
  • --sshcopyauth — use the locally available $HOME/.ssh/authorized_keys to authorise root login on the target system. this installs $HOME/.ssh/authorized_keys as /root/.ssh/authorized_keys on the target system. if you want to use a different file than $HOME/.ssh/authorized_keys, the environment variable AUTHORIZED_KEYS_SOURCE can be used. 🗝️
  • --sshcopyid — use locally available public keys to authorise root login on the target system. similar to ssh-copy-id(1) (without the -i option), it checks if ssh-add -L provides any output, and if so, those keys are appended to /root/.ssh/authorized_keys (creating the file and directory, with mode 0700). ✨🔑
  • -t, --target target — the target partition (/dev/...) or directory (anything else without /dev at the beginning). 🎯
  • -v, --verbose — increase verbosity. more words, more lore
  • --vm — set up a Virtual Machine on an existing block device, which will be partitioned. this allows deployment of a Virtual Machine. needs to be combined with the --target option. this option automatically enables the --defaultinterfaces option. usage example: --vm --target /dev/mapper/your-vm-disk 💻
  • --vmfile — set up a Virtual Machine using a regular file instead of installing to a partition/block device or directory. this allows deployment of a Virtual Machine. needs to be combined with the --target option (qemu-img create -f raw ... is executed on the specified target). this option automatically enables the --defaultinterfaces option. usage example: --vmfile --target /mnt/sda1/qemu.img 💾
  • --vmsize size — deprecated alias for --imagesize. she's old, she's retired, but she's still here 🙈
  • --vmefi — create an EFI boot partition for the VM. 🥾
  • -V, --version — show version of the program and exit. 👑
Warning the command line parsing of grml-debootstrap usually does not validate the provided arguments for the command line options. please be careful and check docs and /etc/debootstrap/config for further information. bestie i am begging you, read the docs first 😭

🌐 NETWORKING 🌐

so by default — and "by default" here means if none of the options --nointerfaces, --defaultinterfaces, --vmfile or --vm are given — /etc/network/interfaces gets copied from the host over to the target system. that's it, that's the vibe. 🫶

🎀 USAGE EXAMPLES 🎀

okay bestie, here's the tea — real commands, real vibes, copy them exactly 💅

grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda

Install default Debian release (trixie) on /dev/sda1 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda. ✨

grml-debootstrap --release bookworm --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda --hostname debian01 --password changeme

Install Debian release bookworm on /dev/sda1 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda. Set hostname to debian01 and password for user root to changeme. (yes the password is literally "changeme", please don't ship that to prod 🙈)

grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda6 --grub /dev/sda --release sid

Install Debian unstable/sid on /dev/sda6 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda.

grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda1 --grub /dev/sda

Install default Debian release (trixie) on /dev/sda1 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda. Use mmdebstrap instead of default debootstrap tool for bootstrapping. ✨

grml-debootstrap --target /dev/mapper/vg0-rootfs --grub /dev/sda

Install default Debian release (trixie) on LVM device /dev/mapper/vg0-rootfs and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda. LVM girlies rise up 💜

grml-debootstrap --efi /dev/sda1 --target /dev/sda2 --grub /dev/sda

Install default Debian release (trixie) on /dev/sda2 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda. Use /dev/sda1 as EFI partition (requires EFI support in the booted system).

mount /dev/sda1 /data/chroot
grml-debootstrap --target /data/chroot

Install default Debian release (trixie) in directory /data/chroot (without any bootloader). no bootloader, no problem 🫶

grml-debootstrap --target /dev/sda3 --grub /dev/sda  --mirror ftp://ftp.tugraz.at/mirror/debian

Install default Debian release (trixie) on /dev/sda3 and install bootmanager GRUB in MBR (master boot record) of /dev/sda. Use specified mirror instead of the default (http://deb.debian.org/debian) one.

mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/sda1
grml-debootstrap --vmfile --imagesize 3G --target /mnt/sda1/qemu.img

Install default debian release (trixie) in a Virtual Machine file with 3GB disk size (including GRUB as bootmanager in MBR of the virtual disk file). VM moment, main character energy for real 🧚

🌸 FILES 🌸

  • /etc/debootstrap/config — Main configuration file. Adjust it according to your needs if you want to execute grml-debootstrap in the non-interactive mode without any special command line arguments. this is the one you edit, bestie 👑
  • /etc/debootstrap/chroot-script — The script executed within the new Debian system as soon as the main system has been installed via [c]debootstrap.
  • /etc/debootstrap/locale.gen — Defines the default locales used for generating locales via locale-gen.
  • /etc/debootstrap/packages — Defines the software packages which should be installed in the new Debian system by default.
  • /etc/debootstrap/extrapackages/ — Debian Packages dropped in this directory will be installed into the new Debian system by default (Control variable: EXTRAPACKAGES).

💖 CUSTOMIZATION 💖

You can control execution of grml-debootstrap via adjusting /etc/debootstrap/config for some main stuff, or via setting some selected variables via command line. lowkey two ways to do the same thing, pick your fighter 💅

The packages which should be installed in the new Debian system can be defined via the file /etc/debootstrap/packages.

If you want to put existing files to the new Debian system you can place them into the (by default non-existing) directories boot, etc, share, usr and var in /etc/debootstrap/. Every existing directory will be copied to the new Debian system then. ✨

If you want to install additional packages that are not available via the Grml or Debian mirror, drop them into /etc/debootstrap/extrapackages and make sure that EXTRAPACKAGES is set to "yes". not me forgetting to set that variable, couldn't be me 😭

👑 SUPPORTED RELEASES 👑

Table 1. Current status

  • bookworm — works ✅
  • trixie — works ✅
  • forky — works[1] ⚠️
  • sid — works[1] ⚠️
unstable and testing releases
[1] Please notice that Debian/testing (currently: forky) and Debian/unstable (sid) might not be always installable due to their nature. What might work instead is deploying a stable release and upgrade it after installation finished. fr fr, rolling releases are chaos and we respect it 💀

💀 BUGS 💀

Please report bugs towards https://github.com/grml/grml-debootstrap/issues — the devs are actually nice, go tell them what broke 🫶

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

debootstrap(8), mmdebstrap(1).

🦋 AUTHOR 🦋

Michael Prokop <mika@grml.org[2]>

⭐ NOTES ⭐

  1. https://grml.org/grml-debootstrap/images/screenshot.png
  2. mika@grml.org / mailto:mika@grml.org

okay that's the whole page bestie, you're officially a GRML-DEBOOTSTRAP(8) scholar now 💅✨ this cutie is GRML-DEBOOTSTRAP(8), dated 07/31/2026 — screenshot proof over at https://grml.org/grml-debootstrap/images/screenshot.png if you wanna see it in the wild. now go make some partitions and slay 🎀🌸

📦 where this page comes from